Departmental Surveys

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will place in the Library a copy of the results of his Department's most recent staff survey; which organisation carried out the survey; and what the cost of the survey was.

Ann McKechin: The Scotland Office's most recent people survey was delivered as part of the Ministry of Justice people survey, and as such its costs was borne by, and not split out from, those of the Ministry of Justice. The Ministry of Justice's share of ORC International's costs for providing the 2009 survey was £192,000. By procuring a single supplier for staff surveys in 2009-10 the civil service has saved 35 per cent. on the total cost of staff surveys in 2008-09. The results of the 2009 survey are expected at the end of January 2010 and these will be published on our website. Following publication we will place a copy of the results in the Library.
	A copy of the last Scotland Office staff survey published in 2007 is available from the Library of the House.

Armed Forces: Aviation

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his Department's policy is on the procurement of commercial airline services for the movement of members of the UK armed forces; whether his Department's policy is only to procure the services of UK-owned and operated commercial airlines for such purposes; and if he will make a statement.

Quentin Davies: The procurement of commercial airline services for the movement of members of the UK armed forces is governed by the Public Procurement Requirement and MOD Standard Procurement Policy. Tasks requiring commercial airline services are not restricted to UK-owned and operated commercial airlines.
	Tasks are advertised in the Defence Contracts Bulletin and the Official Journal of the European Union, thus permitting aircraft brokers and airline operators from the UK and other nations to bid for contracts. Contracts will be awarded on the grounds of technical ability to achieve the task, safety and security standards, and by offering best value for money.

Armed Forces: Uniforms

Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what funding has been allocated for the development of the taped seam clothing specification for waterproof clothing as part of his Department's personal equipment and common operational clothing contract to date.

Quentin Davies: £5,000 has been spent from the Personal Equipment and Common Operational Clothing (PECOC) budget on procuring different types of waterproof clothing for testing.

USA: Military Aircraft

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions have taken place since 2006 between his Department and the United States Department of Defense on the developmental progress of the electro-magnetic aircraft launch system.

Quentin Davies: The UK and the US are in regular contact on aircraft carrier issues, including the Electro-Magnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS). Since 2006 there have been a number of meetings and information exchanges between the MOD's Capital Ships project team and the US Department of Defence's PEO Carriers Team which have covered progress on the EMALS project. The most recent engagement on EMALS between these teams was in November 2009.

Boilers: Government Assistance

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish the correspondence his Department has had with the Treasury on whether the boiler scrappage scheme should apply in Wales.

Peter Hain: I have had discussions on the 2009 pre-Budget report and its implications for Wales. However I have had no written correspondence with the Treasury on this specific issue.
	Wales will receive consequentials as a consequence of the England-only Boiler Scrappage scheme. It is a matter for the Welsh Assembly Government to decide how to allocate this additional funding.

Iraq Committee of Inquiry

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many  (a) documents and  (b) other items of information held in electronic format by his Department of each security classification have been submitted to the Iraq Inquiry; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: I refer you to the answer of 14 December 2009,  Official Report, columns 840-41W, by the Minister of State for the Cabinet Office (Angela E. Smith) who has answered on behalf of all Departments.

Bars

Michael Fabricant: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission with reference to the press statement of 15 December 2009, on the opening of a nursery on the parliamentary estate; what  (a) consideration the Administration Committee gave to and  (b) consultation with users was undertaken on the closure of Bellamy's bar; and whether the House of Commons Commission has plans to provide an alternative venue for Bellamy's bar.

Nick Harvey: Following the House of Commons Commission's decision that a nursery is to be provided on the parliamentary estate in the space currently occupied by Bellamy's Bar, I understand that  (a) the Administration Committee will be consulted, as the details are worked up, on matters such as the service level requirements and contractual arrangements for the provision of nursery services and the timetable for conversion of the accommodation. On  (b), users of the bar are able to make use of the existing provision elsewhere on the estate and there are no plans to provide an alternative venue.

A50

William Cash: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport if he will take steps to ensure the installation of effective soundproofed fencing along the A50 at Blythe Bridge.

Chris Mole: On 14 December 2009 representatives of the Highways Agency met with the hon. Member for Stone, local politicians and a number of residents to discuss the recently replaced noise fence on the A50 at Blythe Bridge, and the overall concerns of the residents about noise.
	At the meeting, it was agreed that Highways Agency officials would review the effectiveness of the fence and consider other noise related points raised by the group. Once the review is complete the Department for Transport will write to the hon. Member for Stone and other interested parties to let them know the outcome.

Aviation: Security

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport whether his Department has conducted a recent investigation into the practices of  (a) the Slovakian authorities and  (b) relevant authorities of other EU member states in placing test packets of explosives into passenger baggage for the purposes of testing airport explosive detection systems; what information his Department holds on whether such practices are in use on (i) flights to the UK and (ii) flights with UK carriers; whether the issue has been placed on the agenda of the Council of Ministers for consideration; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Clark: holding answer 11 January 2010
	European regulations on aviation security require each member state to apply a national quality control programme to monitor compliance with and ensure the effectiveness of its aviation security programme.
	The UK does not hold details of the Slovakian quality control programme nor those of other member states. The monitoring of these programmes at a Community level is undertaken by the European Commission.
	Department for Transport officials have been in touch with the European Commission in respect the recent incident in Slovakia and the Commission has as indicated that it will be writing to the Slovak authorities to ask for a detailed explanation on what happened in order to determine whether further action is necessary.

New Deal Schemes

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which of the milestones referred to in her Department's paper Transforming Britain's Labour Market: Ten years of the New Deal  (a) has and  (b) has not been met on time; and what progress has been made on those milestones which have not been met.

Jim Knight: We outlined a number of commitments in the Department for Work and Pensions paper 'Transforming Britain's labour market: Ten years of the New Deal'. I have outlined these in the following table.
	
		
			  Commitment  Date  Progress 
			  Parents   
			 Consultation on whether the Skills Health Check should be mandatory for lone parents Early 2008 Consultation was undertaken on whether Lone Parents should be mandated to Work Related Activity as part of the 2008 Green Paper ('No-one Written Off-July 2008') 
			 Review of how to extend right to request flexible working to parents of older children Spring 2008 Fully introduced 
			 Introduce group seminars for lone parents nationally April 2008 Fully introduced 
			 Jobcentre Plus will aim, where possible, to guarantee lone parents who are willing and able to work a job interview with an employer April 2008 Fully introduced 
			 Support and guidance from a personal adviser available for all lone parents who have moved into work April 2008 Fully introduced 
			 National roll-out of the In Work Emergency Discretion Fund April 2008 Fully introduced 
			 Pilot of the provision of up-front child care costs in London April 2008 Fully introduced 
			 Extend In Work Credit to all lone parents April 2008 Fully introduced 
			 Pilot of In Work Credit and retention package for lone parents April 2008 Fully introduced 
			 Legal duty on local authorities in England and Wales to secure sufficient child care to meet the needs of their local communities, in particular those on low incomes and with disabled children, takes effect April 2008 Fully introduced 
			 New Deal for Partners strengthened by increasing number of Work Focused Interviews April 2008 Fully introduced 
			 Introduce quarterly Work Focused Interviews for lone parents in the last year before their child reaches the age where they are no longer entitled to Income Support From October 2008 Fully introduced 
			 Lone parents with a youngest child aged 12 or over will no longer be entitled to Income Support solely on the grounds of being a lone parent October 2008 Fully introduced 
			 Extend Work Trials for up to six weeks for those taking part in the New Deal for Lone Parents Late 2008 Fully introduced 
			 Child maintenance disregard in main income related benefits to rise to £20 per week By end 2008 Fully introduced 
			 Lone parents with a youngest child aged 10 or over will no longer be entitled to Income Support solely on the grounds of being a lone parent October 2009 Fully introduced 
			 Skills screen for all new lone parent Income Support claimants as part of work-focused interview, and encourage attendance at full Skills Heath Check 2009-10 This will be considered as part of planning for the national implementation of an integrated employment and skills service for Jobseeker's Allowance customers in 2010-11 
			 Child maintenance disregard in main income related benefits to rise to £40 per week From April 2010 On track 
			 Lone parents with a youngest child aged seven or over will no longer be entitled to Income Support solely on the grounds of being a lone parent October 2010 On track 
			 Every school in England to be an extended school 2010 On track 
			
			  Jobseekers   
			 Back to Work Seminar pilots Early 2008 Implemented March 2009 
			 Flexible New Deal procurement activity begins Spring 2008 Commenced April 2008 
			 Pilot a Better Off in Work Credit October 2008 Introduced in Yorkshire and the Humber in October 2008. 
			 Contracts awarded and contract start-up activity Early spring 2009 Successful Flexible New Deal bidders announced May 2009 and start up activity commenced. Contracts signed with14 Flexible New Deal Providers in August 2009 
			 Changes by Jobcentre Plus to implement new Jobseeker's Allowance regime April 2009 Phase 1 was completed in April 2009 (Phase 2 will be completed in April 2010) 
			 First customers referred to contracted Flexible New Deal October 2009 First customers referred to Flexible New Deal providers on 2 October (service delivery started in all contract package areas from 5 October) 
			 Potential extension of a Better Off in Work Credit 2009 The Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in his pre-Budget report statement of 9 December 2009 that the Better Off in Work Credit will be rolled out across the country 
			 Skills screen for all new Jobseeker's Allowance customers 2009-10 Fully introduced 
			 In trial areas, pilot mandatory Skills Health Checks for long term Jobseeker's Allowance customers 2009-10 In the 12 Jobcentre Plus districts involved in trialling Integrated Employment and Skills services, Jobseeker's Allowance claimants who have not attended a Skills Health Check on a voluntary basis by week 26 of their claim are mandated to do so 
			 Training allowances for long term Jobseeker's Allowance customers to attend intensive employability focused training of up to eight weeks 2009-10 This came into effect in April 09 on a national basis (originally trialled in the west midlands) 
			 Pilot mandatory basic skills and job-focused training courses for Jobseeker's Allowance customers who have been on benefit for six months 2009-10 The Pilot for mandatory basic skills and job-focused training courses for Jobseeker's Allowance customers who have been on benefit for six months is due to commence in 2010 (pending the legislative process) 
			
			  Health conditions and disabilities   
			 Publication of the review of the health of Britain's working age population led by the National Director for Health and Work, Dame Carol Black Early 2008 'Working for a healthier tomorrow: Dame Carol Black's review of the health of Britain's working age population' was published in March 2008. Government responded to the review in November 2008 with the publication of 'Improving health and work: changing lives' 
			 Pathways to Work available across Great Britain to anyone on incapacity benefits April 2008 Fully introduced 
			 Return to Work Credit of £40 per week tax free for a year available to everyone eligible who moves into work April 2008 Fully introduced 
			 Introduction of the Employment and Support Allowance October 2008 Fully introduced 
			 Introduction of mandatory Pathways to Work interviews and the new Work Capability Assessment for existing Incapacity Benefit customers who are under 25 2009 Introduction of mandatory Pathways to Work interviews achieved to timescale. Interviews are taking place between November 2009 and March 2011. Existing incapacity benefits customers under 25 will be assessed using the Work Capability Assessment when they are migrated to Employment and Support Allowance from October 2010 
			 Remove Housing Benefit learning restrictions for short term Incapacity Benefit customers to allow them to study full time 2009 Yet to be introduced. Exploratory work is ongoing 
			 Skills screen for Employment and Support Allowance customers soon after the start of claim, and where appropriate a mandatory Skills Health Check at a later point in claim 2009-11 This will be considered as part of planning for the national implementation of an integrated employment and skills service for Jobseeker's Allowance customers in 2010-11 
			
			  Young people not in work, education or training   
			 Extend early entry to the New Deal for 18 year olds with a previous history of not being in work, education or training on a voluntary basis April 2008 Fully introduced 
			 Extend a mandatory early entry to the Flexible New Deal for 18 year olds who I have not been in work, education or training for six months April 2009 Fully introduced 
			
			  Commissioning and Local Employment Partnership   
			 Publish the Department for Work and Pensions Commissioning Strategy February 2008 Published February 2008 
			 Pilots to test enhancing links between housing organisations and Jobcentre Plus services 2008 Pilots commenced 2008 and due to conclude spring 2011 
			 The new Working Neighbourhoods Fund, jointly sponsored by Department for Work and Pensions and Department for Communities and Local Government will help to focus support and encourage enterprise in areas with high unemployment 2008-11 Fully introduced 
			 Local Employment Partnerships to help 250,000 people into work End of 2010 The Local Employment Partnerships milestone was achieved by the end of August 2009 and has been extended to 750,000 
			
			  Benefit reform   
			 Publish further details of our approach to benefit reform 2008 Commitment met 
			
			  Older workers   
			 Review of default retirement age 2011 We announced in 'Building a society for all ages' that we are bringing forward the review of the Default Retirement Age to 2010. In October the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Department for Work and Pensions issued a joint statement calling for evidence on retirement ages to be submitted by 1 February 2010. This evidence will be used to inform the Default Retirement Age review 
			 UK Commission for Employment and Skills operational April 2008 Operational from April 2008 
			 Trial aspects of an integrated employment and skills service, including; new screening process for basic literacy, numeracy, language and employability skills; new adult advancement and careers service; Skills Health Check; and Skills Accounts for benefit customers 2008-09 The first integrated employment and skills trial began in September 2008. Since then trials have been under way in 12 Jobcentre Plus Districts 
			 Suite of robust operational targets for Jobcentre Plus and the Learning and Skills Council, to underpin the shared Department for Work and Pensions/Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills objective of delivering sustainable employment and progression 2009 The Department for Work and Pensions, and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills are in the process of finalising robust data measures relating to the commitment made in the 'Command Paper Work Skills, June 2008' that in 2010-11 over 100,000 people will be helped to gain sustainable employment and to achieve a recognised qualification 
			 New adult advancement and careers service fully operational 2010-11 On track 
			 Integrated employment and skills system fully operational 2010-11 On track

Social Security Benefits: Overseas Residence

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many appeals by British citizens resident in other EU member states on disability living allowance, carer's allowance and attendance allowance have been  (a) made and  (b) upheld in the last three years.

Jonathan R Shaw: holding answer 7 January 2010
	Since the judgement by the European Court of Justice in October 2007 over 500 appeals have been made by customers who are, or have been, resident in other EEA states. Our records do not indicate how many have been upheld in the last three years.

Social Services

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many responses to her Department's Social Care Green Paper were  (a) in favour of and  (b) opposed to changes to (i) attendance allowance and (ii) disability living allowance.

Jonathan R Shaw: The public consultation on the Green Paper "Shaping the Future of Care Together", received around 29,000 responses overall. Analysis of all the responses is currently under way, and it would be misleading to comment or provide data on the results until this is analysis is fully completed. The Government will be publishing an analysis of the responses in due course.

Winter Fuel Payments: Milton Keynes

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in Milton Keynes are in receipt of winter fuel allowance; and how much her Department paid to such pensioners in winter fuel allowance in 2009.

Angela Eagle: For winter 2008-09-the last winter for which figures are available-16,810 people in Milton Keynes North East and 17,350 people in Milton Keynes South West received winter fuel payments.
	The Department paid £3.6 million to people in Milton Keynes North East and £3.8 million to those in Milton Keynes South West.

Antisocial Behaviour: West Midlands

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many breaches of antisocial behaviour orders have been recorded in  (a) Tamworth constituency,  (b) Staffordshire and  (c) the West Midlands in each year since 2007.

Alan Campbell: Breach of an Anti-Social Behaviour Order (ASBO) is a criminal offence. The number of occasions on which ASBOs were proven to have been breached at all courts in the Staffordshire Criminal Justice System (CJS) area and the West Midlands Government Office Region (GOR) during 2007 is 98 and 720 respectively. ASBOs may be breached more than once and in more than one year. Many ASBOs which are breached in a particular year will have been issued in a previous year. ASBOs may be issued in one CJS area and breached in another-the breach occasions counted here are based on area of breach, not issue. The West Midlands GOR comprises the Staffordshire, Warwickshire, West Mercia and West Midlands CJS areas.
	Data on breaches of ASBOs collected centrally by the Ministry of Justice and held on the court proceedings database only counts those occasions where the breach was proven in court to have occurred and are currently available for ASBOs issued between 1 June 2000 and 31 December 2007. These data are not compiled below CJS area level.

Crimes of Violence: Sussex

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) offences involving violence against the person,  (b) violent sexual offences and  (c) offences of robbery with violence there were in each basic command unit of the Sussex police force area in each year from 2002-03 to 2008-09.

Alan Campbell: Data for all BCUs across this period are given in tables A to C. Table A contains the data on violence against the person offences, table B contains the data on sexual offences and table C contains the data on robbery offences.
	The Basic Command Unit (BCU) structure in Sussex has changed across this period, as reflected in the tables.
	The terms 'violent sexual offences' and 'robbery with violence' do not correspond to recognised Home Office offence categories. Figures are given for 'sexual offences' and 'robbery' that are Home Office categories.
	
		
			  Table A: Violence against the person offences recorded by Sussex police by BCU (Basic Command Unit), 2002-03 to 2008-09( 1) 
			   Violence against the person offences 
			  BCU name( 2)  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			 Brighton and Hove 4,591 4,040 6,287 7,069 7,628 6,549 5,213 
			 East Downs(3) 2,292 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 East Downs n/a 3,635 5,536 5,441 n/a n/a n/a 
			 East Sussex n/a n/a n/a n/a 9,284 7,885 6,343 
			 Gatwick 106 241 459 555 342 403 238 
			 Hastings and Rother 3,050 3,238 4,186 4,140 n/a n/a n/a 
			 Highdown 2,923 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 North Downs n/a 3,492 4,607 4,732 5,008 4,154 3,634 
			 Weald 1,497 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 West Downs n/a 4,854 6,018 5,930 6,356 6,091 4,838 
			 Western 1,559 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Total 16,018 19,500 27,093 27,867 28,618 25,082 20,266 
		
	
	
		
			  Table B: Sexual offences recorded by Sussex police by BCU (Basic Command Unit), 2002-03 to 2008-09( 1) 
			   Sexual offences 
			  BCU name( 2)  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			 Brighton and Hove 214 290 438 402 330 282 328 
			 East Downs(3) 147 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 East Downs n/a 185 369 284 n/a n/a n/a 
			 East Sussex n/a n/a n/a n/a 538 446 437 
			 Gatwick 6 12 7 14 19 10 3 
			 Hastings and Rother 225 167 279 265 n/a n/a n/a 
			 Highdown 185 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 North Downs n/a 263 309 305 320 248 277 
			 Weald 200 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 West Downs n/a 284 399 389 409 341 333 
			 Western 106 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Total 1,083 1,201 1,801 1,659 1,616 1,327 1,378 
		
	
	
		
			  Table C: Robbery offences recorded by Sussex police by BCU (Basic Command Unit), 2002-03 to 2008-09( 1) 
			   Robbery offences 
			  BCU name( 2)  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			 Brighton and Hove 464 460 462 378 404 356 434 
			 East Downs(3) 220 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 East Downs n/a 277 196 168 n/a n/a n/a 
			 East Sussex n/a n/a n/a n/a 297 231 271 
			 Gatwick 4 3 * * * 3 0 
			 Hastings and Rother 286 275 160 170 n/a n/a n/a 
			 Highdown 120 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 North Downs n/a 185 181 210 139 153 179 
			 Weald 102 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 West Downs n/a 225 228 170 165 156 150 
			 Western 49 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Total 1,245 1,425 1,228 1,098 1,007 899 1,034 
			 n/a = Not available. (1) The information presented complies with the National Statistics Code of Practice for Data Access and Confidentiality. In order to protect confidentiality, all counts lower than three have been suppressed. Other counts may be suppressed to protect confidentiality. These are denoted by an asterisk symbol in the cell. (2) The BCU structure in Sussex has changed across this period. (3) Before April 2003.

Licensing Laws: Councillors

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the timetable is for the commencement of the provisions in the Policing and Crime Act 2009 to make councillors interested parties for the purposes of the Licensing Act 2003.

Alan Campbell: We plan to commence: section 28 (persistent sales to children - "three strikes to two strikes"); section 29 (confiscation of alcohol from under 18's); section 30 (new offence of persistently possessing alcohol in a public place by under 18's); section 31 (extending directions to leave to those aged 10 or over), and section 33 (allowing licensing authorities to act as interested parties) from Friday 29 January 2010.
	We are currently developing the guidance on the young people provisions and the licensing authorities as interested parties provisions, so that the police, local authorities and youth services are aware of the new powers, how they work and fit together. The guidance will be ready by the end of January.

Arts Council England

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  how much was paid to Arts Council England's  (a) senior managers and  (b) board members in (i) performance-related and (ii) special bonus payments in each of the last three years; for what reason each such bonus was paid; how many members of the senior management team refused to accept a bonus; and by what criteria such bonuses are awarded;
	(2)  how much was paid to Arts Council England employees in  (a) performance-related and  (b) special bonus payments in each of the last three years;
	(3)  how many Arts Council England employees have participated in its special leave scheme in each of the last three years;
	(4)  how much Arts Council England intends to spend on the establishment of relaxation rooms for staff at its head office in Great Peter Street, London;
	(5)  how much Arts Council England has spent on employing Lothar Gotz to redecorate its head office in Great Peter Street, London;
	(6)  for what reason Arts Council England is to commission new artwork for its head office in Great Peter Street, London; how much Arts Council England has spent on advertising for such works; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: The information requested is not held centrally by the Department.
	Accordingly, I have asked the chief executive of Arts Council England to write direct to my hon. Friend the Member for West Bromwich East. Copies of the reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Arts Council England

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what the total cost of Arts Council England's Arts Jobs website has been to date;
	(2)  how much Arts Council England spent on  (a) Christmas parties and  (b) staff entertainment in the last three years;
	(3)  how much Arts Council England spent on Christmas cards in each of the last three years;
	(4)  how much has been spent by Arts Council England on the acquisition of properties in each of the last five years; what the  (a) address,  (b) cost and  (c) date of acquisition was of each such property; how much has been realised by Arts Council England from the disposal of properties in each of the last five years; and what the (i) address, (ii) sale price and (iii) date of sale of each was;
	(5)  which  (a) food and  (b) drinks companies Arts Council England has contracted in each of the last three years; and how much Arts Council England has paid to each such company in each such year;
	(6)  how many  (a) drinks receptions and  (b) dinner parties Arts Council England has hosted in each of the last three years; and what the cost of each such event was;
	(7)  how much Arts Council England has spent on the design of its website in each of the last five years.

Margaret Hodge: The information requested is not held centrally by the Department. The issues raised are the operational responsibility of Arts Council England.
	Accordingly, I have asked the chief executive to write direct to my hon. Friend the Member for West Bromwich, East (Mr. Watson). Copies of the reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Arts Council England

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what the cost to Arts Council England of public opinion research was in  (a) 2006-07,  (b) 2007-08 and  (c) 2008-09; and how much such funding it has allocated for 2009-10;
	(2)  how much Arts Council England spent on the advertisement of tenders for contracts in the last five years;
	(3)  how much Arts Council England has spent on media monitoring in each of the last three years;
	(4)  which  (a) advertising agencies and  (b) other organisations supplied consultancy services for advertising campaigns for Arts Council England in each of the last five years; and what the cost of these services was;
	(5)  how much Arts Council England has spent on advertising in  (a) weekly and  (b) regional newspapers in the last five years;
	(6)  how many complaints Arts Council England received from members of the public in each of the last five years.

Margaret Hodge: The information requested is not held centrally by the Department.
	Accordingly, I have asked the chief executive of Arts Council England to write direct to my hon. Friend the Member for West Bromwich East. Copies of the reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Arts Council England

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  how many Arts Council England staff have  (a) been reprimanded,  (b) had their contract of employment terminated and  (c) been prosecuted for theft of property in each of the last three years;
	(2)  how much Arts Council England paid to recruitment agencies for the recruitment of temporary staff in each of the last five years;
	(3)  how much Arts Council England has spent on staff reward and recognition schemes in each of the last three years;
	(4)  how many Arts Council England employees have the word diversity in their job title;
	(5)  what flexible working arrangements were available to Arts Council England staff in each of the last five years; and how many staff participated in such arrangements in each such year;
	(6)  how many communication officers Arts Council England employs; and what the cost of their salaries was in 2008-09;
	(7)  how many Arts Council England employees have the word communication in their job title;
	(8)  how many Arts Council England staff participated in its employee relocation scheme in each of the last three years; and what the cost was of such arrangements in each such year;
	(9)  how many Arts Council England employees used the organisation's car allowance scheme in each of the last three years; and what the cost of the scheme was in each of those years;
	(10)  what the cost of essential car user lump sum payments to Arts Council England employees was for each vehicle engine size in each of the last three years;
	(11)  what the  (a) job description and  (b) salary scale is of each employee of Arts Council England's senior management team;
	(12)  how many Arts Council England employees received finance loans to buy a  (a) car,  (b) scooter and  (c) bicycle in each of the last three years; and what the cost of providing such loans was in each of those years;
	(13)  on how many occasions Arts Council England's whistleblowing procedure has been used in each of the last three years; when that policy was last reviewed; and if he will make a statement;
	(14)  what steps Arts Council England is taking to prevent bullying in its workplace on grounds of  (a) religion,  (b) ethnicity and  (c) sexual orientation; and how much Arts Council England plans to spend on such programmes in the next 12 months;
	(15)  how many Arts Council England staff have been subject to  (a) stage 1,  (b) stage 2 and  (c) stage 3 performance capability meetings in each of the last five years; and what proportion of such meetings have resulted in (i) a dismissal and (ii) a subsequent appeal against dismissal by a member of staff;
	(16)  how many diversity officers Arts Council England employs; and what the total cost of their annual salaries was in the latest year for which information is available;
	(17)  how many  (a) permanent and  (b) temporary staff Arts Council England employs in each region.

Margaret Hodge: The information requested is not held centrally by the Department.
	Accordingly, I have asked the chief executive of Arts Council England to write direct to my hon. Friend the Member for West Bromwich, East. Copies of the reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Arts Council England

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  how much Arts Council England has spent on legal fees in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how many complaints Arts Council England received in response to answers it provided under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in each year for which figures are available.

Margaret Hodge: The information requested is not held centrally by the Department.
	Accordingly, I have asked the chief executive of Arts Council England to write direct to my hon. Friend the Member for West Bromwich, East (Mr. Watson). Copies of the reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Arts Council England

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what his most recent estimate is of the monetary value of Arts Council England's property portfolio.

Margaret Hodge: The information requested is not held centrally by the Department.
	Accordingly, I have asked the chief executive of Arts Council England to write direct to my hon. Friend the Member for West Bromwich, East. Copies of the reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Arts Council England

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  how many items are in Arts Council England's Arts Council Collection; how many of these items are on public display; and what the cost of storing items belonging to the collection was in the latest year for which information is available;
	(2)  how many items Arts Council England has purchased for its Arts Council Collection in each of the last three years; and how many such items are on public display;
	(3)  how many works belonging to Arts Council England's Arts Council Collection have been damaged  (a) in transit and  (b) at exhibition in each of the last five years;
	(4)  how much revenue Arts Council England generated from loaning items from the Arts Council Collection in each of the last three years;
	(5)  how many works belonging to Arts Council England's Arts Council Collection have been stolen in each of the last five years.

Margaret Hodge: The information requested is not held centrally by the Department.
	Accordingly, I have asked the chief executive of Arts Council England to write direct to my hon. Friend the Member for West Bromwich, East. Copies of the reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Bell Towers: Expenditure

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what bell towers have received grants from public funds in the last 12 months.

Margaret Hodge: Funds are available from public sources to support repairs to bell towers where they are part of listed church buildings.
	English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund jointly operate a grant scheme to support repairs to listed places of worship. Additionally, the Government operates a Listed Places of Worship Grant scheme that makes grants equivalent to the VAT incurred in making repairs to listed buildings primarily in use as places of worship.
	However data is not available under either scheme about the amounts disbursed for works to bell towers, or the locations of bell towers that have benefited.

Gambling: Crime

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent steps the Gambling Commission has taken to  (a) estimate the monetary value of the illegal gambling market and  (b) reduce the incidence of illegal gambling.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The information requested is a matter for the Gambling Commission. Accordingly, I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member for Bath. Copies of the reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Central Office of Information

Grant Shapps: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  how much has been spent by the Central Office of Information on news and public relations in 2009-10;
	(2)  how much the Central Office of Information has spent on strategic consultancy in each year from 2004-05 to 2008-09;
	(3)  how much the Central Office of Information spent on public relations in each of the last five years;
	(4)  how much the Central Office of Information spent on  (a) media and  (b) non-media advertising in each of the last five years.

Tessa Jowell: I have asked the chief executive of the Central Office of Information to reply to the hon. Member.
	 Letter from Mark Lund, dated 7 January 2010:
	As Chief Executive of the Central Office of Information (COI), I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question on COI Turnover (309830,3,7,42).
	COI turnover figures for the areas requested for the previous five years are published in our annual report and accounts.
	Copies of the COI Annual Report and Accounts are placed in the Library of the house and are also available from our website:
	www.coi.gov.uk

Housing: Energy

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent discussions  (a) Ministers and  (b) officials in his Department have had with house builders on inclusion of (i) solar water heating and (ii) photovoltaic electricity generation technology in new build homes.

Joan Ruddock: The Communities and Local Government Department (CLG) has announced a policy that all new homes will be zero carbon from 2016, with interim changes to the building regulations in 2010 and 2013.
	The Minister of State for Housing and Planning and the Minister of State for Energy and Climate Change participate in the 2016 Task Force which brings together senior representatives of industry and other stakeholders to oversee the progress of the zero carbon homes policy. House builders via the Home Builders Federation are represented on that body.
	CLG is providing financial support to the Zero Carbon Hub, an industry-led body which is leading on the practical delivery of the policy. The Hub has established a number of task groups which bring together relevant stakeholders including house builders. Government observers on this group includes officials from this department who are therefore engaging with the relevant stakeholders on an ongoing basis.
	CLG has been consulting on the proposed changes to Part L of the Building Regulations for 2010. This process has resulted in engagement with house builders throughout the consultation. As part of that process officials have discussed the range of renewable technologies for deployment in new build including solar thermal and solar photovoltaic technologies.

Warm Front Scheme: Leeds

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many households in Leeds North West constituency received assistance under the Warm Front scheme in 2008-09.

David Kidney: The Warm Front scheme assisted 309 households in Leeds, North West during scheme year 2008-09.

Affordable Housing

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what work the Audit Commission is undertaking on behalf of the Tenant Services Authority in relation to inspections of social housing.

Barbara Follett: This is an operational matter for the Audit Commission, and I will ask the Chief Executive of the Audit Commission to write to the hon. Member direct.
	 Letter from Steve Bundred, dated 12 January 2010:
	Your Parliamentary question outlined above has been passed to me to reply.
	Since the Tenant Services Authority (TSA) was established on 1 December 2008, the Audit Commission has undertaken the following inspections of registered social landlords requested by the Authority:
	Twenty one full inspections, covering all tenant services, are now completed and are published on the Audit Commission website http://www.audit-commission.govuk. A list is attached for ease of reference.
	Fifteen focused inspections, covering a limited number of tenant services that are undertaken at short notice, completed and published, covering judgements for both current services and prospects for improvement.
	Eighteen focused inspections, covering a limited number of tenant services, undertaken at short notice, completed and published in respect of judgements of the current services. Judgements for future prospects of service improvement, following local consultation between tenants and their landlord, will be published in due course.
	Six further full inspections are in progress or programmed for completion by March 2010.
	Twelve focused inspections, to be undertaken at short notice, are programmed for completion by March 2010.
	Five full service inspections of Registered Social Landlords are programmed for 2010/11, as will be a number of focused inspections, the numbers of which are yet to be determined.
	From April 2010 (subject to Parliamentary approval) the TSA will also be responsible for commissioning inspections of local authority landlord services from the Audit Commission.
	A copy of this letter will be placed in Hansard.
	
		
			  Organisation  Inspection title  How good is the service?  What are the prospects for improvement  Month published  Month on site 
			 North Somerset Housing Housing Management Services Fair Promising December 2008 October 2008 
			 Eastend Homes Housing Management Services Good Promising December 2008 October 2008 
			 Lee Housing Association Housing Management Services Poor Promising December 2008 Jun-08 
			 Green Vale Homes Housing Management Services Fair Promising January 2009 October 2008 
			 Victory Housing Housing Management Services Fair Promising January 2009 October 2008 
			 Community Gateway Association Housing Management Services Good Promising February 2009 July 2008 
			 Drum Housing Association Housing Management Services Fair Promising Apr-09 January 2009 
			 Freebridge Community Housing Housing Management Services Fair Promising Apr-09 January 2009 
			 Clapham Park Homes Housing Management Services Fair Uncertain Apr-09 January 2009 
			 Adacutus Housing Association Housing Management Service Fair Promising Apr-09 February 2009 
			 Manchester and District Housing Association Housing Management Service Good Excellent May 2009 February 2009 
			 NomadE5 Housing Association Housing Management Service Fair Excellent May 2009 February 2009 
			 Tor Homes Housing Management Services Fair Promising June 2009 March 2009 
			 Kingfisher Housing Association Housing Management Services Fair Promising June 2009 March 2009 
			 Leeds Federated Housing Association Housing Management Services Re-inspection Fair Promising July 2009 March 2009 
			 Herefordshire Housing Housing Management Services Re-inspection Good Excellent August 2009 May 2009 
			 Cheshire Peaks and Plains Housing Trust Housing Management Services Good Excellent August 2009 June 2009 
			 Accent Peerless Housing Management Services Fair Promising September 2009 Jun-09 
			 Vale of Aylesbury Housing Trust Housing Management Services Fair Promising September 2009 June 2009 
			 Riverside Carlisle Housing Management Services Fair Promising October 2009 June 2009 
			 Merlin Housing Society Housing Management Services Poor Uncertain October 2009 June 2009

Council Housing

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Welwyn Hatfield of 4 November 2009,  Official Report, column 1060W, on council housing, what the size of the local authority housing stock was in each year since 1997.

Ian Austin: Local authority stock for each year since 1997 is given in the following table. The figure for 2008-09 is subject to audit.
	
		
			  Financial year  Total stock 
			 1997-98 3,440,988 
			 1998-99 3,318,035 
			 1999-2000 3,185,869 
			 2000-01 3,016,722 
			 2001-02 2,811,959 
			 2002-03 2,699,147 
			 2003-04 2,453,864 
			 2004-05 2,332,522 
			 2005-06 2,162,330 
			 2006-07 2,073,575 
			 2007-08 1,925,970 
			 2008-09 1,852,992

Council Housing: Debt Collection

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst of 2 November 2009,  Official Report, column 758W, on council tax: debt collection, whether he plans to publish a consultation paper on this matter; whether he plans to change the powers of bailiffs in relation to council tax collection; and what changes to bailiffs' powers and the level of fines there would be under the proposed new system.

Barbara Follett: Further to my answer to the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst (Robert Neill) of November 2 2009,  Official Report, column 758W, no decision has been taken yet about whether to extend the council tax enforcement regime in this way.
	With regard to bailiff powers more generally, the Ministry of Justice has completed an extensive review of these which culminated in the enforcement provisions contained in the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007. The Ministry of Justice will be producing a consultation paper which sets out a package of measures designed to address the concerns that have been raised about the behaviour of bailiffs; the fees they charge and proposals for the regulation of the industry. It will also set out draft regulations on seizure of goods. The Ministry of Justice intends to commence this consultation exercise with a view to implementing the changes in April 2012.

Departmental Responsibilities

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the cost of the proposed new innovation commissioning unit in his Department; and what its role will be in relation to that of regional improvement and efficiency partnerships.

Rosie Winterton: The Secretary of State's priorities on innovation are being delivered flexibly from within existing administrative resources and costs are not recorded separately. This work engages with, but does not duplicate, the work of Regional Improvement and Efficiency Partnerships.

Fire Services

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many full-time firefighters were employed by each fire and rescue authority on 31 March  (a) 1998,  (b) 2001,  (c) 2005 and  (d) 2008.

Shahid Malik: The number of full-time fire-fighters employed in fire and rescue services by each fire and rescue authority on 31 March  (a) 1998,  (b) 2001,  (c) 2005 and  (d) 2008 are shown in the following table.
	Please note that data for 1998 was only available as at 1 January.
	
		
			  Fire and rescue service fire-fighters in post (full-time equivalent and in 24-hour units of cover) by authority at 31 March 1998, 2001, 2005 and 2008 
			   1998( 1)  2001  2005  2008 
			   Whole - time( 2)  Retained( 3)  Whole - time( 2)  Retained( 3)  Whole - time( 2)  Retained( 3)  Whole - time( 2)  Retained( 3) 
			  England 31,906 12,964 31,623 10,633 31,097 10,785 30,581 11,747 
			  
			 Avon 656 211 667 160 669 186 660 165 
			 Bedfordshire and Luton 308 136 330 115 323 122 330 136 
			 Buckinghamshire 300 201 292 152 349 137 367 194 
			 Cambridgeshire 264 341 276 295 273 323 277 297 
			 Cheshire 621 194 631 146 602 146 586 172 
			 Cleveland 604 86 601 62 563 72 542 72 
			 Cornwall 183 401 185 407 201 403 190 403 
			 County Durham and 405 158 405 119 385 144 387 147 
			 Cumbria 283 432 274 370 274 426 252 452 
			 Derbyshire 481 378 465 231 475 206 444 204 
			 Devon 551 722 570 648 562 763 - - 
			 Devon and Somerset(4) - - - - - - 721 1,131 
			 Dorset 291 361 300 288 302 313 300 312 
			 East Sussex 432 235 425 201 434 190 428 206 
			 Essex 903 452 936 373 925 290 943 438 
			 Gloucestershire 225 277 232 257 230 278 234 252 
			 Greater Manchester 2,150 48 2,090 26 2,028 22 1,943 16 
			 Hampshire 764 689 784 546 790 576 825 614 
			 Hereford and Worcester 355 347 355 294 319 285 342 315 
			 Hertfordshire 572 256 565 212 560 208 574 203 
			 Humberside 709 293 725 276 710 289 726 282 
			 Isle of Wight 60 159 61 152 63 152 59 148 
			 Isles of Scilly 7 33 9 34 10 40 11 39 
			 Kent 947 752 944 494 893 487 900 667 
			 Lancashire 987 440 1,010 285 957 300 896 317 
			 Leicestershire 490 233 498 144 474 n/a 481 147 
			 Lincolnshire 187 401 189 413 195 420 230 433 
			 London 5,909 0 5,693 0 5,924 0 5,910 0 
			 Merseyside 1,481 0 1,369 0 1,249 n/a 1,044 185 
			 Norfolk 277 447 310 424 281 469 302 497 
			 North Yorkshire 354 375 352 331 358 329 320 334 
			 Northamptonshire 280 223 296 182 298 211 276 196 
			 Northumberland 202 176 206 152 193 164 190 160 
			 Nottinghamshire 568 323 581 202 542 189 576 206 
			 Oxfordshire 215 278 230 237 237 256 249 287 
			 Royal Berkshire 423 165 406 122 422 n/a 437 100 
			 Shropshire 199 288 200 249 208 272 214 292 
			 Somerset 171 380 179 351 184 342 - - 
			 South Yorkshire 916 72 920 39 878 32 834 60 
			 Staffordshire 487 352 473 304 447 337 446 313 
			 Suffolk 262 431 247 352 256 362 259 396 
			 Surrey 726 140 713 103 673 105 650 76 
			 Tyne and Wear 1,023 21 1,010 18 945 18 912 14 
			 Warwickshire 310 182 286 149 276 145 275 133 
			 West Midlands 2,044 13 2,031 8 1,944 11 1,937 7 
			 West Sussex 392 339 397 272 394 292 376 282 
			 West Yorkshire 1,723 174 1,683 166 1,602 159 1,501 149 
			 Wiltshire 209 349 222 272 220 314 225 298 
			 (1) Strength figures as at 1 January 1998. (2) Including all whole-time shift systems in full-time equivalents. (3) In 24 hour units of cover. (4) With effect from 1 April 2007, Devon fire and rescue service and Somerset fire and rescue service merged to become Devon and Somerset fire and rescue service.

Leasehold: Service Charges

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance his Department has issued to  (a) local authorities and  (b) arms length management organisations on the level of service charges levied by them on their leaseholders.

Ian Austin: In February 1997, the Department issued guidance to social landlords on how to comply with two sets of directions issued at that time.
	The Social Landlords Discretionary Reduction of Service Charges (England) Directions 1997 give social landlords discretion to reduce or waive leaseholders' bills in specified circumstances.
	The Social Landlords Mandatory Reduction of Service Charges (England) Directions 1997 require them to reduce bills in certain cases when special Government assistance is applied for from specified programmes.
	The Department's 2006-07 Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Manual also provides guidance to local authorities on appropriate accounting treatment of mixed leaseholder and tenanted blocks, including general advice on how to account for income and expenditure on works to common parts.
	The above guidance does not distinguish between local authorities and their Arms Length Management Organisations.

Local Government Finance

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which areas have adopted participatory budgeting; what funding his Department has provided to support the use of that practice in each such area.

Barbara Follett: The Participatory Budgeting Unit (PBU) collate information on our behalf on bodies that have adopted it. Initiatives are being led by a variety of types of organisation including councils (all types), police authorities, primary care trusts and the third sector.
	According to the information available to the PBU, the following bodies have implemented participatory budgeting initiatives:
	 North West
	Salford City Council
	St Helens Metropolitan Borough Council
	Lancaster City Council
	Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council
	Sefton Council
	Manchester City Council
	Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council
	Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council
	Liverpool City Council
	Greater Manchester Police-Tameside, Stockport, Bolton and Rochdale
	Lancashire Police-Wyre and Blackburn
	Merseyside Police-Liverpool
	Cheshire East Council
	Alston Moor Parish Council
	Wigan Community Network (Third Sector)
	 North East
	Newcastle upon Tyne City Council
	Sunderland City Council
	Wansbeck District Council
	Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council
	Hartlepool Borough Council
	Cleveland Police-Hartlepool
	West Middlesbrough Neighbourhood Trust (New Deal for Communities-Third Sector)
	Coast and Country Housing (Redcar)
	Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council
	Northumbria Police-Sunderland, Gateshead, South Tyneside and Newcastle
	 Yorkshire and the Humber
	Bradford Local Strategic Partnership
	York City Council
	Sheffield City Council
	Leeds City Council
	Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council
	Hull-Preston Road Neighbourhood Development Company (New Deal for Communities-Third Sector)
	North Lincolnshire Council
	Scarborough Borough Council
	South Yorkshire Police-Rotherham, Barnsley and Sheffield
	West Yorkshire Police-Wakefield
	 West Midlands
	Birmingham City Council
	Staffordshire County Council
	Walsall-The new horizons community enterprise (New Deal for Communities-Third Sector)
	West Bromwich-Greets Green Partnership (New Deal for Communities-Third Sector)
	Hampton Bishop Parish Council
	Coventry City Council
	West Midland Police-Birmingham
	Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council
	 East Midlands
	Leicestershire County Council
	Manton Community Alliance (Third Sector delivering neighbourhood management pathfinder)
	Mansfield District Council
	Nottingham Neighbourhood Development Company (New Deal for Communities-Third Sector)
	Bassetlaw District Council
	Leicester City Council
	Derbyshire Police-Bolsover
	Nottinghamshire Police-Mansfield and Nottingham
	 East
	Norfolk County Council
	Norfolk Police-Broadland
	Huntingdonshire District Council
	 London
	Lewisham London Borough Council
	Haringey London Borough Council
	Lambeth London Borough Council
	Tower Hamlets Local Strategic Partnership
	Metropolitan Police-Islington and Barking and Dagenham
	 South East
	Isle of Wight Council
	Thanet District Council
	Southampton City Council
	Kent County Council
	Thames Valley Police-Slough
	Kent Police-Thanet
	 South West
	Wiltshire Council
	East Devon District Council
	Dulverton Town Council
	Cornwall Council
	Plymouth-Devonport Regeneration Community Partnership (New Deal for Communities-Third Sector)
	Again according to the PBU, the following bodies intend to implement participatory budgeting initiatives, but have not yet done so:
	 North West
	Carlisle City Council
	Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council
	Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council
	Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council
	 Yorkshire and the Humber
	Kirklees Council
	Hull Primary Care Trust
	 East Midlands
	Daventry District Council
	 East
	Luton Borough Council
	Hertfordshire County Council
	 South East
	Buckinghamshire County Council
	Portsmouth City Council
	 South West
	Bristol City Council
	CLG provides grant funding to the PBU who provide advice and support to areas implementing participatory budgeting. We provided £260,000 in grant funding to the PBU in 2008-09 and we have allocated £270,000 in grant funding for 2009-10.

Local Government Services: Fees and Charges

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps his Department has taken in response to the review of the Audit Commission of the use of fees and charges by local authorities.

Barbara Follett: In the last decade, the Audit Commission have issued two national reports on local authority fees and charges. The first, published in 1999, which was entitled "The Price is Right" identified a number of issues for authorities to consider when setting fees, and also found that the legal framework for council charges was complex and confusing and the framework should be reviewed to provide the best authorities with the freedom to improve and innovate. The Government took action to provide greater flexibility for local decisions in this area by introducing a power for councils to charge for discretionary services. This power, which was implemented by section 93 of the Local Government Act 2003, is limited to cost recovery and the authority may only charge a person for providing a service if he or she has agreed to its provision.
	The Commission's second report, entitled "Positively Charged" was published in 2008 and it also made a number of recommendations for local authorities to consider and found that the rationale for centrally imposed restrictions on the level of fees was not always clear. However, the Government considers the level of centrally set fees carefully to try to ensure that the appropriate balance between the policy objectives of the service covered by the fee, and its level is struck.
	The Government believe that councils should avoid imposing double taxation on citizens by adopting proposals that deliver only a basic level of service, and impose charges for anything above this. We also believe that councils must not see raising income-whether through charges or taxation-as an alternative to cutting out waste and driving down expenditure. Anyone who pays a tax or a charge for a local service has the right to expect that the authority in question will strive to keep costs down and improve efficiency.

Regional Government: South West

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how the South West Councils is funded.

Barbara Follett: The South West Secretariat which supports the SW Councils receives funding from a number of sources. Communities and Local Government (CLG) funds the Strategic Leaders' Board planning, transport and housing functions; grant funding is also received from CLG to support the delivery of improvement and efficiency across the public sector. The Home Office provides funding for work on migration and asylum. In addition local authorities, including town and parish councils subscribe to the organisation.
	There is also an element of not for profit, self generated funding through provision of specialist employment consultancy and learning and development events.

Regional Government: South West

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many people are employed at South West Councils.

Barbara Follett: From 1 January 2010 South West councils will employ 66.5 full-time equivalent posts held by 71 staff. This is a reduction from 79 full-time equivalent posts in April 2009.

Regional Government: South West

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding South West Councils receives per annum.

Barbara Follett: For financial year 2009-10 South West Councils received the following funding from Communities and Local Government: £2,070,148 (regional funding for Strategic Leaders' Board) and £525,000 to fund the core costs of the South West Regional Efficiency and Improvement Programme (REIP). In addition to this South West Councils received £110,000 direct from the Home Office to support regional work on migration and asylum. Local government subscriptions to South West Councils amounted to £572,700 and Associate Members of South West Employers provided £31,000. It is anticipated that South West Employers will generate £800,000 through their training and consultancy service.

Smoking Cessation

Tom Levitt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to encourage people to stop smoking.

Gillian Merron: This Government have given active encouragement to people to stop smoking through setting up NHS Stop Smoking Services, smokefree legislation, banning tobacco advertising, raising the age of sale and effective information campaigns.
	A new tobacco control strategy will soon be published to help further reduce the damage caused by smoking.

Dentistry: Children

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of children of primary school age were treated by an NHS dentist in  (a) England,  (b) Northamptonshire and  (c) Kettering constituency in the last 12 months.

Ann Keen: We do not collect statistics relating solely to children of primary school age. In England, 7,658,923 children (69.6 per cent. of all children) received care or treatment from a national health service dentist in the 24 months ending September 2009. In Northamptonshire Primary Care Trust (PCT), 100,901 children were seen (65.3 per cent. of all children resident in the PCT).

Health Services: Armed Forces

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the  (a) quality of service provision and  (b) adequacy of funding for (i) prosthetics and (ii) orthotics care in NHS trusts given to injured (A) service and (B) non-service personnel.

Mike O'Brien: Overall quality of service provision within the national health service is monitored by the Care Quality Commission and funding for prosthetic and orthotic care and services is provided within the NHS budget. The provision of care and service required by individuals, whether they be service or non-service personnel, is determined through multidisciplinary assessments to ensure clinical appropriateness. I refer the hon. Lady to the written statement made on 11 January 2010,  Official Report, column 15WS, around medical care for veterans, in which is announced a package of measures to support service personnel, together with a guarantee of early and comprehensive assessment of long term needs for those sustaining serious injury.

CAFCASS

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  how many reviews Ofsted has undertaken in relation to the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS) in each CAFCASS region in the last 12 months;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of each Ofsted inspection of the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service in each year since such inspections began.

Dawn Primarolo: This is a matter for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector, Christine Gilbert, has written to the hon. Member and a copy of her reply has been placed in the House Libraries.
	 Letter from Christine Gilbert, dated 17 December 2009:
	Your recent parliamentary question has been passed to me, as Her Majesty's Chief Inspector, for a response.
	In April 2007 the duty to inspect Cafcass passed from Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Court Administration to Ofsted. From April 2007 to mid 2008, Ofsted undertook three inspections based on the old Cafcass structure (co-terminous with the nine Government Office regions).
	In December 2008 Ofsted began piloting a new framework for the inspection of Cafcass. The framework is based on inspection of a Cafcass service area, the Cafcass operational business unit, of which there are 21 across England. Ofsted will inspect all the Cafcass service areas by August 2011. As at December 2009, Ofsted has reported on seven service areas, and will report on an eighth inspection in early January 2010.
	A copy of this reply has been sent to Rt Hon Dawn Primarolo MP, Minister of State for Children, Young People and Families, and will be placed in the library of both Houses.
	 Letter from Christine Gilbert, dated 31 December 2009:
	Your recent parliamentary question has been passed to me, as Her Majesty's Chief Inspector, for a response.
	From 2001 to April 2007 inspection of Cafcass was undertaken by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Court Administration (formerly HM Magistrates Court Service Inspectorate). Ofsted does not have cost data for this period.
	From April 2007 to mid 2008, Ofsted undertook three inspections based on the old Cafcass structure (co-terminous with the nine Government Office regions), using the legacy inspection framework. During the summer of 2008 Ofsted developed a new framework and methodology for the inspection of Cafcass, which had re-structured into 21 service areas. Each service area will be inspected every three years.
	The costs of this inspection programme to Ofsted in 2007/8 were £435,843. In 2008/9 they were £397,402. Both figures include corporate overheads and development costs, where incurred. The first three year inspection cycle will be completed by August 2011.
	A copy of this reply has been sent to Rt Hon Dawn Primarolo MP, Minister of State for Children, Young People and Families, and will be placed in the library of both Houses.

Children: Adoption

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families for how many children in each local authority area adoption was determined to be in their best interest in the most recent 12 month period for which figures are available; and how many of those children were placed for adoption by  (a) their local authority,  (b) a private adoption agency and  (c) a voluntary adoption agency.

Dawn Primarolo: Information on the number of looked-after-children for whom the local authority decision was that they should be placed for adoption is not available.

Departmental Furniture

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much his Department has spent on furniture for use in the office assigned to him since June 2007.

Diana Johnson: £1,158.76 has been spent to acquire additional furniture for the Secretary of State's office since June 2007.

Pre-School Education: Finance

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what plans he has to extend the free entitlement to early education to two year olds who live in families with modest and middle incomes.

Dawn Primarolo: The Government will continue to make progress on the long-term ambition set out by the Prime Minister to extend the offer of free part time nursery places for all two-year-olds whose parents want them. Already over 20,000 two year olds have access to free places and the reforms we are making to tax relief for child care vouchers will allow us to go further.

Supervised Homes

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many places in supervised homes were available for 16 and 17 year-olds in each month of the last two years.

Dawn Primarolo: This information is not collected centrally.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families when he plans to answer Question  (a) 3202667,  (b) 302668,  (c) 302936,  (d) 303105 and  (e) 303139, tabled on 25 November 2009.

Diana Johnson: PQ 302668 and 302936 have been answered today. PQ 303105, 303139 and 302667 will be answered in due course.
	I apologise for the delay in answering these parliamentary questions.

Departmental Fines

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what powers  (a) his Department and  (b) each of its agencies and non-departmental public bodies has to impose administrative penalties; what the statutory basis is for each such power; and how much (i) his Department and its predecessors and (ii) each of its agencies and non-departmental public bodies has recovered in administrative penalties in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

Jack Straw: Administrative financial penalties arise where a department has the authority to charge a financial penalty without the need to resort to court proceedings. They exclude interest charged on late payment of invoices.
	The Ministry of Justice's statutory powers to impose administrative penalties are confined to the Legal Services Complaints Commissioner (LSCC, an office of the Ministry of Justice) and the Legal Services Board (LSB, an executive non-departmental public body).
	 The Legal Services Complaints Commissioner (LSCC)
	The Legal Services Complaints Commissioner (LSCC) had the power under section 52 of the Access to Justice Act 1999 to require the Law Society to provide information on how it deals with complaints, to make recommendations about the complaints system, and to set targets for complaints handling. In addition, the Commissioner previously had the power to require the Law Society to submit a plan for improved complaints handling and to levy a penalty on the Law Society if it failed to deliver an adequate plan or failed in the delivery of that plan. These powers were reduced in April 2009 in preparation for the closure of the Commissioner's office in March 2010. The maximum penalty that could be imposed was the lower of £1 million and 1 per cent. of the annual income of the Law Society.
	In 2006-07 the Commissioner exercised this power and imposed a penalty of £250,000, later reduced to £220,000. In 2007-2008 the Commissioner announced that she was considering imposing a penalty of £275,000 for failure to meet her targets. However, following a series of discussions with the Law Society, a regulatory settlement was agreed which meant that the penalty was invested in client care measures by the Law Society.
	 The Legal Services Board (LSB)
	The new Legal Services Board (LSB), regulating legal services provision by approved regulators, became fully operational from 1 January 2010. The LSB has a range of enforcement powers available to it under sections 31-48 of the Legal Services Act 2007. Its power to impose a financial penalty on approved regulators under section 37 of the Act is subject to the requirement that the LSB makes rules prescribing the maximum financial penalty. The LSB has prescribed the maximum financial penalty it may impose on an approved regulator as 5 per cent. of an approved regulator's regulatory income for its most recent accounting period.
	All other penalties levied by the department or its agencies are through the courts.

Family Law Act 1996

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many applications for an occupational order under sections 33 to 41 of the Family Law Act 1996 have been  (a) made and  (b) granted in each year since their introduction.

Bridget Prentice: The following tables show the number of occupation orders applied for, and the number of occupation orders granted, in each court area in each year since 2003. The data are taken from the HMCS FamilyMan database and the applications figures do not include applications for arrest warrants.
	
		
			  Occupation orders applied for in England and Wales, by court Area, 2003 - 08 
			  Area  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008 
			 Avon and Somerset 216 230 215 243 215 180 
			 Bedfordshire, Essex and Herts. 680 547 575 493 451 413 
			 Birmingham, Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire 330 345 258 225 220 227 
			 Black Country, Staffordshire and West Mercia 476 453 449 377 329 294 
			 Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk 406 385 391 343 344 309 
			 Cheshire and Merseyside 413 369 334 314 227 230 
			 Cleveland, Durham and Northumbria 686 625 591 646 532 384 
			 Cumbria and Lancashire 354 316 325 323 260 199 
			 Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire 245 217 197 182 142 125 
			 Devon and Cornwall 465 405 385 355 360 299 
			 Dorset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire 419 404 372 284 247 283 
			 Greater Manchester 311 274 292 300 232 188 
			 Hampshire and Isle of Wight Humber and South Yorkshire 424 369 383 389 328 288 
			 Kent 523 456 402 330 323 312 
			 Lincolnshire, Leicestershire and Rutland and Northamptonshire 326 304 270 215 244 250 
			 London Civil and Family 268 292 273 242 247 260 
			 Mid and West Wales 2,970 2,474 2,590 2,419 2,098 2,021 
			 North and West Yorkshire 138 106 109 99 95 88 
			 North Wales 593 573 576 650 618 501 
			 South East Wales 133 101 104 70 115 97 
			 Surrey and Sussex 524 444 468 445 370 402 
			 Thames Valley 487 400 352 336 300 295 
			 England and Wales 11,560 10,239 10,042 9,384 8,351 7,738 
		
	
	
		
			  Occupation orders made in England and Wales, by court area, 2003 - 08 
			  Area  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008 
			 Avon and Somerset 155 170 149 166 161 123 
			 Bedfordshire, Essex and Herts. 419 349 372 279 320 324 
			 Birmingham, Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire 223 283 240 239 247 157 
			 Black Country Staffordshire and West Mercia 545 447 425 373 304 185 
			 Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk 267 301 336 295 292 184 
			 Cheshire and Merseyside 435 374 418 287 192 148 
			 Cleveland, Durham and Northumbria 719 551 615 710 513 242 
			 Cumbria and Lancashire 417 446 427 306 281 147 
			 Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire 184 116 111 131 151 92 
			 Devon and Cornwall 450 380 366 294 325 171 
			 Dorset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire 473 401 306 241 252 247 
			 Greater Manchester 310 248 263 245 184 115 
			 Hampshire and Isle of Wight 257 265 294 291 233 123 
			 Humber and South Yorkshire 409 302 298 253 211 175 
			 Kent 272 285 217 169 178 162 
			 Lincolnshire, Leicestershire and Rutland and Northamptonshire 268 332 269 288 278 159 
			 London Civil and Family 3,175 2,489 2, 224 1,965 1,627 1,377 
			 Mid and West Wales 115 68 80 72 92 75 
			 North and West Yorkshire 437 417 464 543 437 328 
			 North Wales 124 90 98 52 47 62 
			 South East Wales 181 157 113 103 95 61 
			 Surrey and Sussex 472 350 422 349 267 151 
			 Thames Valley 486 347 378 328 258 291 
			 England and Wales 10,793 9,168 8,885 7,979 6,945 5,099 
		
	
	Area level figures are not available before 2003. However, the following table gives, for each year from 1998 to 2002, the most recently published national figures.
	
		
			  Occupation orders applied for, and made, in England and Wales between 1998 and 2002 
			   Applications made  Orders made 
			 1998 11,147 9,023 
			 1999 9,757 8,319 
			 2000 10,295 9,736 
			 2001 10,692 9,789 
			 2002 11,924 11,763

General Election 2010: Young People

William Cash: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps have been taken to encourage 18 to 24 year-olds to vote in the next general election.

Michael Wills: Section 69 of the Electoral Administration Act 2006 places local electoral officers under a duty to encourage participation at statutory elections. The Government have established the Electoral Participation Fund to support electoral officers undertaking novel and innovative projects, including activities to support the participation of young people.
	In addition, under section 13 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000, the Electoral Commission has a statutory responsibility to run public awareness campaigns to promote voter registration and to provide information on electoral events. I have been informed by the Electoral Commission that they will be running a public awareness campaign in the lead up to the next general election to encourage people to register to vote. By selecting particular media channels, the campaign will be targeted at groups less likely to be on the electoral register, particularly 18 to 24 year-olds. The campaign will include television, radio and press advertising, along with work on social networking websites. Through its partnership grants programme, the Electoral Commission has also funded other organisations working to increase democratic participation among young people, including Banardos, the Prince's Trust and UK Youth Parliament.

Hotels

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many hotel room nights were booked by officials in  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies in each year since 2007; and how much (i) his Department and (ii) its agencies spent on fees of third party agents in relation to booking hotel accommodation in each such year.

Jack Straw: The information requested is set out as follows:
	 Number of rooms booked
	The number of hotel rooms booked by the Ministry and its agencies can only be determined at disproportionate cost. Although bookings should normally be made through contracted booking agents, they may also be made by individuals directly with the costs being reimbursed through expense claims or met through the Government Procurement Card. To determine the number of hotel night rooms booked by individuals directly would involve examination of thousands of individual claims and statements held locally across the department and its agencies.
	All hotel bookings by Ministers and civil servants are undertaken in accordance with the Ministerial Code and the Civil Service Management Code respectively. The annual departmental resource accounts disclose expenditure on "travel, subsistence and hospitality" in notes 10 (administration expenditure) and 11 (programme expenditure). Resource accounts were published by the Ministry of Justice for 2007-08 and 2008-09 and prior to that by the Ministry's predecessor, the Department for Constitutional Affairs. All published accounts can be found at:
	http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/
	 Fees paid to booking agents
	The majority of hotel bookings are arranged through travel management companies employed by the Ministry to obtain best value for money options. All other expenditure is incurred only on production of valid receipts.
	The Ministry has contracts with two designated booking agents working for different parts of the business. Booking agents are contracted to secure the best value for money rates available. The Ministry does not pay fees directly to either service provider. The booking agents are remunerated instead through commission paid by the hotels themselves. The Ministry does not have any details about the amount of commission earned by booking agents acting in its behalf.

Legal Services Commission: Chesterfield

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many Legal Services Commission matter starts for  (a) welfare benefit,  (b) housing,  (c) employment,  (d) debt,  (e) immigration,  (f) community care and  (g) family law cases in Chesterfield were given in each of the last five years; and how many such starts are being offered in the current rounds of bidding.

Bridget Prentice: The information requested is shown in the following tables.
	 Matter starts for the last five years
	Figures for the number of new matter starts allocated in the categories specified for the last five years are shown in the table. The figures shown include all solicitor and not-for-profit offices in Chesterfield.
	
		
			  Data  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10 
			 Community care 15 7 0 0 0 
			 Debt 260 286 327 362 413 
			 Employment 85 107 222 312 351 
			 Housing 229 270 331 376 550 
			 Immigration asylum 0 7 7 8 12 
			 Immigration non-asylum 12 30 33 47 54 
			 Family 1,469 1,257 1,171 1,359 1,199 
			 Welfare benefit 281 333 254 197 198 
		
	
	Due to the way in which the LSC contracted with not-for-profit offices prior to October 2007 the figures included for these providers prior to that time are actual cases started rather than matter starts allocated.
	 Matter starts for the current bid rounds
	The new Civil Contract is due to begin in October 2010. The bid rounds for Immigration Services opened on 30 November 2009. New matter starts are now being allocated by procurement area rather than bid zone. For immigration services, Chesterfield is included in the Midlands and East of England region. 9,340 asylum new matter starts and 7,990 non-asylum new matter starts have been made available in the current tender.
	Bid rounds for all other civil services are due to open in February. Future allocations are in the process of being finalised and will be published in February 2010.

Non-molestation Orders

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many applications for a non-molestation order have been  (a) made and  (b) granted in each court area in each year since their introduction.

Bridget Prentice: The following tables show the number of non-molestation orders applied for, and the number of non-molestation orders granted, in each court area in each year since 2003. The data are taken from the HMCS FamilyMan database and the applications figures do not include applications for arrest warrants.
	
		
			  Non-molestation orders applied for in England and Wales, by court area, 2003 - 08 
			  Area  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008 
			 Avon and Somerset 509 459 456 499 437 481 
			 Bedfordshire. Essex and Herts. 864 760 771 685 707 851 
			 Birmingham, Coventry Solihull and Warwickshire 543 565 456 436 393 446 
			 Black Country, Staffordshire and West Mercia 792 778 728 674 564 626 
			 Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk 532 600 580 522 531 528 
			 Cheshire and Merseyside 608 571 512 500 433 516 
			 Cleveland, Durham and Northumbria 1,319 1,221 1,198 1,342 1,231 1,285 
			 Cumbria and Lancashire 585 570 588 592 575 553 
			 Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire 395 332 309 317 316 340 
			 Devon and Cornwall 689 562 501 479 474 428 
			 Dorset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire 646 581 497 444 411 533 
			 Greater Manchester 591 545 531 545 431 402 
			 Hampshire and Isle of Wight 544 545 529 518 501 462 
			 Humber and South Yorkshire 1,084 924 910 868 806 751 
			 Kent 503 482 424 341 364 472 
			 Lincolnshire, Leicestershire and Rutland and Northamptonshire 404 451 411 391 411 471 
			 London Civil and Family 4,578 4,624 4,825 4,616 4,272 4,747 
			 Mid and West Wales 215 149 164 150 159 136 
			 North and West Yorkshire 1,264 1,244 1,357 1,418 1,426 1,599 
			 North Wales 199 160 157 125 110 147 
			 South East Wales 262 251 184 170 196 181 
			 Surrey and Sussex 748 635 705 691 610 695 
			 Thames Valley 675 565 539 562 508 491 
			 England and Wales 18,599 17,574 17,332 16,885 15,871 17,141 
		
	
	
		
			  Non-molestation orders made in England and Wales, by court area, 2003 - 08 
			  Area  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008 
			 Avon and Somerset 578 523 524 561 491 541 
			 Bedfordshire, Essex and Herts. 851 795 787 715 772 946 
			 Birmingham, Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire 505 734 671 613 600 537 
			 Black Country, Staffordshire and West Mercia 1,153 1,121 1,012 969 731 773 
			 Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk 760 837 831 808 742 647 
			 Cheshire and Merseyside 934 777 793 695 561 596 
			 Cleveland, Durham and Northumbria 1,977 1,839 1,843 2,015 1,783 1,541 
			 Cumbria and Lancashire 1,018 1,055 1,084 908 856 792 
			 Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire 506 406 390 434 422 413 
			 Devon and Cornwall 1,044 793 614 548 522 417 
			 Dorset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire 827 758 611 609 564 627 
			 Greater Manchester 862 745 720 722 503 374 
			 Hampshire and Isle of Wight 519 583 569 565 501 350 
			 Humber and South Yorkshire 1,075 1,047 1,098 1,051 919 707 
			 Kent 659 666 580 466 453 445 
			 Lincolnshire, Leicestershire and Rutland and Northamptonshire 511 579 563 571 534 321 
			 London Civil and Family 6,762 6,285 6,046 5,752 5,253 5,707 
			 Mid and West Wales 299 189 184 172 199 132 
			 North and West Yorkshire 1,823 1,779 1,757 1,958 1,814 1,987 
			 North Wales 333 264 261 140 125 133 
			 South East Wales 305 301 198 205 189 153 
			 Surrey and Sussex 983 813 882 796 635 655 
			 Thames Valley 944 834 828 747 600 573 
			 England and Wales 25,233 23,723 22,851 22,020 19,819 19,367 
		
	
	Area level figures are not available before 2003. However, the following table gives, for each year from 1998 to 2002, the most recently published national figures.
	
		
			  Non-molestation orders applied for, and made, in England and Wales between 1998 and 2002 
			   Applications made  Orders made 
			 1998 18,153 19,365 
			 1999 16,908 18,465 
			 2000 15,734 18,293 
			 2001 17,590 20,968 
			 2002 19,131 24,999

Open Prisons

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 2 December 2009,  Official Report, column 800W, on open prisons, how many prisoners convicted of murder are being held at each open prison.

Jack Straw: The following table gives the numbers of prisoners detained for murder at each open prison in England and Wales, as at 30 June 2009 the last date at which data are available:
	
		
			   Number 
			 Askham Grange 10 
			 Ford 25 
			 Hollesley Bay 20 
			 Kirkham 30 
			 Leyhill 50 
			 North Sea Camp 25 
			 Prescoed 15 
			 Spring Hill 15 
			 Standford Hill 10 
			 Sudbury 60 
			 Sutton Park 5 
			 Total 260 
		
	
	The total number of prisoners convicted of murder and in prison was around 4,900 at the end of June 2009. The figure in the open estate is therefore 5 per cent. of the total. There have been open prisons since 1936 and they are widely accepted as the most effective means of ensuring prisoners are tested in the community before they are released. To release prisoners directly from a closed prison without the resettlement benefits of the open estate would undoubtedly lead to higher levels of post-release reoffending.
	Prisoners are assessed objectively in a process looking at all aspects of their offending behaviour, actions they have taken to reduce their likelihood of reoffending and the risk they pose to the public. They are placed in the lowest security category consistent with their assessed risk. Only prisoners placed in the lowest security category (D) may be allocated to open conditions. If their behaviour becomes a cause for concern, they can be moved back to more secure conditions.
	Prisoners convicted of murderer serving life sentences and other indeterminate sentence prisoners will be transferred from closed to open prison conditions only following the acceptance of a Parole Board recommendation to the Secretary of State. Before making such a recommendation, the Parole Board must be satisfied that the case meets the criteria set out in the Directions to the Parole Board under section 32(6) of the Criminal Justice Act 1991, of which the risk of abscond is a central factor.
	Transfer of any prisoner to open conditions will only take place if continued detention in closed conditions is no longer necessary for the protection of the public. Open conditions allow prisoners to find work, re-establish family ties and reintegrate into the community. All these are essential components for successful resettlement and an important factor in protecting the public.
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. Totals for each prison have been rounded to the nearest five and the grand total to the nearest 10; separately rounded sub-totals may not add to the rounded total.

Shoplifting: Sentencing

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent representation he has received on sentencing policy for people convicted of offences of theft from shops.

Jack Straw: We have received no recent representations on sentencing policy for people convicted of offences of theft from shops. In December 2008, following full public consultation, the independent Sentencing guidelines Council issued definitive guidelines on theft and burglary in a building other than a dwelling.

Business: Leeds

John Battle: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many small businesses in  (a) Leeds and  (b) Leeds West constituency have applied for financial assistance under the (i) Enterprise Finance Guarantee scheme and (ii) Capital Enterprise scheme since their inception; and how many such applications were granted.

Rosie Winterton: As of 9 December, 79 small businesses within Leeds have been offered loans under the Enterprise Finance Guarantee totalling £8.6 million. Within the constituency of Leeds West seven businesses have been offered loans totalling £0.43 million.
	Businesses may apply for a loan from any one of the participating lenders who will assess which form of lending, including the Enterprise Finance Guarantee, is most appropriate. We do not hold figures for those businesses which are instead offered a normal commercial loan, or are rejected for failing to meet the lender's commercial criteria.
	As of 9 December, with respect to £75 million Capital for Enterprise Fund equity scheme, the appointed fund managers have so far made offers totalling £73.2 million to 47 businesses. 11 businesses have accepted the terms of the funding offered with a total value of £17.0 million. 12 businesses have received investment totalling £17.7 million, including two in the Yorkshire and Humber region. I am not providing a breakdown by parliamentary constituency or local authority as this could make it possible to identify the individual companies that have received support.

Electric Cables

David Anderson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will bring forward proposals for regulations with the aim of protecting the public from risks associated with the installation of  (a) dangerous and  (b) sub-standard electrical cables.

Ian Lucas: Electrical cables are currently regulated for the purposes of safety by European legislation. The Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations make it an offence to supply unsafe electrical equipment such as electrical cables. The Regulations are enforced by the HSE with regard to products supplied exclusively to business (e.g. for professional installation in business and domestic environments) and by Trading Standards for products where the supply is to consumers.
	Installation is regulated for domestic situations by Communities and Local Government Building Regulations and for non-domestic situations by the HSE Electricity At Work Regulations.

Financial Services: Leeds

John Battle: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what his most recent assessment is of the effect on the financial services industry in Leeds of the recession; and if he will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: I am a member of the Financial Services Task Force set up by Yorkshire Forward in October 2008 to co-ordinate partners response to the recession. Its remit includes support for people facing redundancy to help them find new jobs quickly. The partners are also working on a longer term strategy to maintain Leeds and its wider city region as a UK centre of excellence for financial and professional services.
	The Task Force published a report by Deloitte in March 2009 on the Future of the Financial Services Industry (FSI) in the Leeds City Region. This highlighted Leeds City Region as home to the largest FSI hub outside London employing over 240,000 people.
	The Deloitte report had a range of scenarios on the potential impact of the recession on FSI activity in Leeds and its wider City Region. Its "best case" scenario forecast up to 22,500 full time equivalent (FTE) jobs lost and a loss of annual output of £1.77 billion.
	In December 2009 Yorkshire Forward completed a region wide assessment of the impact of recession. This suggests the loss of financial services output in the region could be around £820 million-less than half the best case scenario put forward in the Deloitte report. The potential jobs lost in financial services in Leeds is expected to be in the range between 12,000 and 14,000.
	This recent assessment by Yorkshire Forward reinforces anecdotal views that the likely impact of the recession on financial services industry in Leeds will be less than had been expected. It is therefore clear that the financial services industry in the Leeds City Region has fared better than predicted at the start of the global recession. The sector has proved resilient through the downturn and over the longer term it is expected to continue to lead the growth of the regional economy.
	I will continue to work closely with partners on the Financial Services Task Force on the longer term strategy to develop and maintain the Leeds City Region as a UK centre of excellence for financial and professional services.

Middlesex University: Per Capita Costs

Joan Ryan: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what average per-student teaching grant was received by Middlesex University in each year since 1997.

David Lammy: The following table shows the average amount of teaching grant per student that HEFCE has provided to Middlesex from 1996/97 to 2009/10. These annual figures cannot be directly compared, as a result of various changes to the funding method over this period.
	
		
			  Average teaching grant rates of funding per FTE for Middlesex University 
			   Rate (£) 
			 1996-97 1,923 
			 1997-98 2,048 
			 1998-99 2,501 
			 1999-2000 2,580 
			 2000-01 2,610 
			 2001-02 2,729 
			 2002-03 2,978 
			 2003-04 3,419 
			 2004-05 3,842 
			 2005-06 3,977 
			 2006-07 4,167 
			 2007-08 4,192 
			 2008-09 4,473 
			 2009-10 4,502 
			  Source: Total recurrent teaching grants from the following HEFCE publications: Recurrent Grants for the Academic Year 1996-97: Final Allocations Recurrent Grants for the Academic Year 1997-98: Final Allocations Recurrent Grants for 1998-99: Final Allocations Recurrent Grants for 1999-2000: Final Allocations Recurrent Grants for 2000-01: Final Allocations Recurrent Grants for 2001-02: Final Allocations Recurrent Grants for 2002-03: Final Allocations Recurrent Grants for 2003-04: Final Allocations Recurrent Grants for 2004-05: Final Allocations Recurrent Grants for 2005-06: Final Allocations Recurrent Grants for 2006-07: Final Allocations Recurrent Grants for 2007-08: Final Allocations Recurrent Grants for 2008-09: Final Allocations

Partnerships: Company accounts

John Pugh: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills whether his Department plans to amend the provisions of the Partnerships (Accounts) Regulations 2008 to require partnerships with a limited liability partnership as a notional partner to publish their accounts.

Ian Lucas: UK law does not recognise the concept of a "notional" partner. It does however recognise the concept of a "general" partner, under the Limited Partnerships Act 1907.
	The purpose of the Partnerships (Accounts) Regulations 2008-like their predecessor regulations the Partnerships and Unlimited Companies (Accounts) Regulations 1993-is to implement a European company law Directive 90/605/EEC. The directive amended the Fourth EU company law directive, which requires limited companies to draw up and publish accounts. The 1990 directive does not extend to limited partnerships whose general partners are Limited Liability Partnerships and the Department has no plans to amend the law to do so and thereby increase the burdens on business. Anyone wishing to do business with a limited partnership structured in this way can of course ask for copies of its financial statements as a precondition.

Debts: Developing Countries

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when his Department plans to announce the conclusions of its July 2009 consultation on Ensuring effective debt relief for poor countries; what plans he has to introduce legislative proposals to tackle vulture funds; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: The Treasury intends to publish the results of its consultation "Ensuring Effective Debt Relief for Poor Countries" in February. The Government do not consider it acceptable that a minority of creditors continue to pursue full repayment for debts that the international community has worked so hard to reduce. It calls on all creditors to provide their share of debt relief to Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPCs). In that regard, I fully support the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish's (Andrew Gwynne) decision to use a Private Member's Bill to tackle so-called vulture funds, helping to ensure that the world's poor see the full benefits of debt relief.

Taxation: Business

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will exempt businesses with a turnover of less than £100,000 per annum that do not have access to the internet from the requirement from April 2010 to submit value added tax returns online.

Stephen Timms: Businesses already registered for VAT as at 1 April 2010 with a turnover of less than £100,000 (excluding VAT) may still file their VAT return on paper.
	All businesses registering for VAT after 1 April 2010 will be required to file their VAT returns online.
	HM Revenue and Customs have in place a full range of options for those businesses needing support through this change, including the very small minority with no direct internet access.

Taxation: Holiday Accommodation

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the evidential basis is for the statement in his Department's document, Impact Assessment of Withdrawing the Furnished Holiday Letting Rules, that it is likely that an indefinite extension of the FHL rules to EEA properties would also negatively impact upon UK tourism; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: Extending the furnished holiday letting rules to properties in the European economic area indefinitely would eliminate the UK tax advantage for UK properties relative to other European properties. It would encourage investment abroad and channel UK resources to businesses that promote tourism elsewhere in Europe, seeking to attract tourists away from the UK.
	The Government support the objective of a thriving UK tourism industry, and are providing £130 million between 2008 and 2012 for marketing Britain overseas and England to the British. In addition, between £3.3 and £3.5 million is provided annually to the regional development agencies for tourism support.

Uganda: Politics and Government

Denis MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Ugandan government on its proposals for legislation discriminating against gays.

Ivan Lewis: The legislation is a private Member's Bill, which was introduced on 14 October 2009 and is currently at committee stage in Uganda's Parliament. It has not so far been adopted formally by the Ugandan government.
	We have grave concerns about the Bill, which we have made clear in representations to Ugandan Ministers including by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to President Museveni and my noble Friend Baroness Kinnock to Foreign Minister Kutesa at the recent Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting. Our high commissioner in Kampala takes every appropriate opportunity to engage Ugandan Ministers on this issue. Sweden, which has the local EU presidency in Uganda, has led a demarche of EU member states to the Ugandan Foreign Ministry.
	Our concerns include the negative impact the Bill would have on the rights of homosexual and heterosexual Ugandans through the criminalisation of any action that could be construed as support for homosexuality, the introduction of the death penalty for some acts criminalised by the Bill, and the potential impact of the Bill on the fight against HIV/AIDS in Uganda.
	The UK is also in close touch with and is supporting Ugandan civil society organisations campaigning against the Bill.